Automatic boiler water conditioner



y 16, 1940- L. o. GUNDERSON ET AL 2,207,799

AUTOMATIC BOILER WATER CONDITIONER Filed Dec. 24, 1937 Imu 45 EFEUYUFE.

Patented J uly 16, 1940 AUTOMATIC BOILER.

PATENT) OFFICE WATER CONDITIONER.

Lewis Gundcrson and Oland W; Garrick, Chicago, 111., assignors to Electro-Chemical Engineering Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application December 24, 1937, Serial No. 181,489

I .12 Claims.

This invention relates to the controlling of foaming in operating steam boilers and more specifically relates to the collection from the upper portion of the boiler, above" the normal We.-

ter level, of light water and foam developed inside the boiler during operation of the boiler, together with the automatic periodic discharge of the collected matter. If desired, the discharge of the collected matter maybe utilized 'to effect a blowing down of any part of the boiler.

This application is a continuation-in-partof the Garrick and Gunderson application entitled: Automatic boiler water conditioner and blow-off system, U. S; Serial 104,7 60, filed'October 9, 1936,

16 now Patent No. 2,132,028, datedOc'tober 4, 1938.

A steam boiler, when in operation and supplying steam, usually contains a body of steam expanded or light water throughout and above the steam generating .zone of the boiler which body 20 often rises abnormally into the steam space. The level to which this light water mass rises into the steam space is, however, not indicated by the visible water level indicated in the conventional water glass, but is several inches higher than said visible indication.

However, the development of light water or foam throughout the steam generating zone in a boiler during operation of the boiler may vary from a slight expansion to a complete filling of the steam space, thereby causing the entrainment of moisture in the steam leaving the boiler.

We have found that foam forming and foam stabilizing ingredients in boiler water accumulate or are positively adsorbed in the steam bubble interfaces of the light boiler water and in the;

foam film. As these substances are released at the surface of the light water upon breaking of the steam bubbles, it is apparent that they are free to recirculate in the boilerwater repeating 40 their function of bringing about foam formation and foam stabilization by being again adsorbed in the surfaces of new steam bubbles formed in the evaporation zone in the boiler.

According to this invention these foam-forming and foam stabilizing ingredients are removed automatically from the boiler by the'collection of foam and light water in the boiler followed'by a periodic discharge of the collected material. If desired any other part of the boiler may be blown down simultaneously with the discharge of the collected material. I

To effect the automatic removal of the foamforming and foam stabilizing ingredients, a collecting means ispositionedin the upper portion of the boiler above the normal water level therein but having the inlet thereof within the zone reached by the foam or light water formed in the steam generating zone of the boiler. The

collecting means is pivoted about a fulcrum point means effects the opening of a discharge valve preferably mounted outside of the boiler above the collecting means. A down pipe extends from the discharge valve into thecollecting means and when the valve is opened the boiler pressure will flow the material in. the collecting, means up through the down pipe into the valve. From the valve the collected material can be discharged into a steam separator where, the steam flashed hot liquid is drained with harmless force fromfrom a pilot valve operated by the collecting means. A tilting of the collecting means opens the pilot valve to subject the piston of the discharge valve to the boiler pressure for opening this valve to blow down any portion ofthe boiler with which theinlet of the valve communicates. The material collected in collecting means can bleed through the discharge valve for emptying the collecting means. It is then anobject ofthis invention to collect foam stabilizing and foam forming ingredients concentrated in light water and. foam in an operating steam boiler until a. predetermined weight of these liquids has been collected and to then utilize this weight of the collected liquids to efiect a discharge of the liquids from the boiler.

' Another object of this invention is to collect in a pivotally mounted open topped pan the light water and foam that has developed and risen into the normal steam space duringthe operation of a steam-boiler and to utilize the weight of the collected material for pivoting the pan to effect the opening of a discharge valve to empty the collected material from the pan.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for removing foamforming and foam stabilizing ingredients from operating steam boilers including a pivotally mounted collecting means in the upper portion of the boiler having direct connection with the pilot valve of a discharge valve preferably mounted outside of the boiler above the collecting means.

A further object of this invention is to control foaming in operating steam boilers, such as locomotive boilers, by collecting directly from the upper part of the main body of boiler water only the light water or foam formed throughout and above the steam generating zone of the boiler and by utilizing the weight of the collected material to tilt the collecting means for effecting discharge of the material from the collecting means.

Another object is to collect from above the normal water level in a boiler only the foam and light water developed'above said'level until a predetermined weight of these materials has been collected and then cause the weight of the collected materials to blow down any desired portion of the boiler as long as said predeter- 'mined weight is maintained.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent to-those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawings which discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

While the drawing illustrates the invention as being embodied in a locomotive boiler it should be understood that the invention is applicable to any type of steam boiler and that such application of the invention is included within the scope of the appended claims. 7

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic side elevational view, with a part broken away and shown in vertical cross section, of a locomotive boiler having an apparatus according to this invention mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is anenlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the discharge valve mounted on top of the locomotive boiler according to this invention for effecting periodic discharge of matter collected in the collecting means within the boiler.

Figure'S is afragmentary diagrammatic side elevational view, with a part broken away and shown in cross section, of a locomotive boiler having a modified apparatus according to this invention mounted thereon.

As shown on the drawing:

In Figure l, the reference numeral H] designates generally a locomotive comprising the usual boiler shell H, fire box' |2 and engineers cab l3. front and rear sheets I l and i5 and crown sheet H5.

The reference numeral I! indicates. the normal water level of boiler water in the boiler as indicated in conventional water glass Ila. This water level is usually maintained about three to five inches above the crown sheet Hi.

The reference numeral l8 designates the steam space of the boiler from which steam is supplied to the steam dome IQ for feeding through the throttle pipe 20 to the operating cylinders (not shown) of the locomotive.

During the operation and working of theboiler, steam expanded or light water 2| is formed throughout the steam generating zone of the boiler water. Since we have found that the" foam The fire box I2 is defined by the usual forming and foam stabilizing ingredients are concentrated in this light water 2| or in foam films of the light water, we have provided for the removal of this light'water and foam from the boiler before it reaches a dangerous level in the boiler making possible moisture entrainment with the steam entering the steam dome.

Therefore according to thisinvention a collecting pan or basin is pivotally mounted in the upper portion of the boiler so as to have the upper edges thereof above the normal water level I? indicated in the conventional water glass Ila but within the zone reached by a safe developmentof light water or foam formed above the steam generating zone. The pan 22 is preferably positioned immediately behind the steam dome l9 so as to intercept foam or light water traveling toward the steam dome. The pan can thus directly receive therein light water, foam or 001- lapsed foam, with adsorbed contaminating substances therein, formed during the operation of the boiler when these substances rise to a level above the top edges of the pan;

The pan 22 has an integral arm 23extending from an end wall thereof. The arm .23 has a counterweight 24 on the end thereof. 'The arm 23 is pivoted to the boiler at 25. This fulcrum arrangement of the pan pivotally supports the same and the counterweight 2d normally holds the pan in horizontal position in the upper portion of the boiler. However, when a predetermined weight of light water or foam has been spilled into the pan 22, the pan willswing downwardly about the pivot point 25. V a

A discharge valve 26 is mounted on top of the boiler shell above the pan 22. The valve 26, as best shown in Figure 2, comprises a housing 2'! defining a chamber 28 having an inlet 29 at the bottom thereof and an outlet 30 on the side thereof. t v

A boss 3| is threaded throughthe boiler shell H and registers with the inlet 29 of the housing The boss 3| has a tapered valve seat 3m 26. therethrough.

An auxiliary valve 32 is adapted to seat on the valve seat 3|a. The valve 32 has a stem 33 extending upwardly therefrom and secured at its end in a piston 34. The piston 34 is slidable in a cylinder 35 formed in the housing 21 directly above the inlet 29 thereof. The valve stem 33 is hollow to provide a passageway 35 therethrough joining the interior of the boiler with the space 36 in the cylinder 35 above the piston 34.

The valve 32 has an open bottomed hollow shank portion 32a extending into the boiler. A pilot valve 3'! is slidably mounted in the shank portion 32a of the valve Hand is adapted to close the mouth' of the passageway 35 through the valvestem. The pilot valve 31 has a hollow shank portion 38 provided with elongated slots 39 in the side walls thereof.

The end of 'a rod 40 is seated in the shank portion 38 of the pilot valved! and is held in limited slidable relation to the pilot valve by means of a pin 4| extending through the end of the rod and seated-at; its ends in the elongated slots 39. A down pipe 32 is threaded into t'he'boss 3l and extends into the pan 22 in the boiler in through the bushing retainingmeans 'in the down pipe so that liquid can pass through .the

downpipe." n 4 Asshown in. Figure 1, the bottom end of the rod is connected by a joint 44 to the bottom of thepan 22. A ball and socket joint is preferred. When the pan 22 is maintained in substantially horizontal position in the boiler, by the counterweight 24, the rod 40 is moved upward to.-;seat the pilot .valve 31 and seal the mouth of. the passageway 35. Under such conditions. the valve 26 is closed. v i However when light water or foam is collected in the pan 22 in an amount to almost fill the pan the increased weight of the pan will be sufficient to overbalance .the counterweight 24. thereby causing alowering of the pan about the pivot 25. This lowering of the pan will pull the rod 40 downward until the pin 4| abuts the bottom of the shank 38 of the pilot valve 31., The pilot valve 31 will then be pulled away' from the mouth of the passageway 35' thereby venting the space 36 above the piston 34 to boiler pressure.

The boiler pressure will then blow liquid in the pan 22 up. through the down pipe 42 through thepassageway 35 into the space 36 above the piston, thus forcing the. piston downward in the cylinder 35 and unseating the 'valve 32. The liquid in the: pan will then rapidly discharge past the opened auxiliary valve 32 into the chamber 28 of the valve 26 and out of the outlet 30. The outlet 30 receives the end of a discharge pipe which pipe 45 communicates with a steam separator 46 mounted on top of the boiler shell H in front of the engineers cab I3. The steam separator is of known construction and separates steam flashed from the liquid discharged from the boiler. The steam escapes to the atmosphere through a vent 41 in the steam separator while the liquid can drain through a drain pipe 48 from which it is discharged'with harmless force to the road bed beneath the locomotive.

Discharge from the pan 22 will continue only as long as the pan remains in a tilted position due to the weight of the liquids collected therein. When the level of the material collected in the pan 22 approaches the bottom end of the down pipe 42 the counterweight 24 will counterbalance the weightof the pan and the liquid remaining therein-to move the pan back to horizontal position in the boiler. This movement reseats the pilot valve to close the mouth of the passageway 35.

The space 36 above the piston 34 is then sealed from the boiler but the auxiliary valve 32 is still subjected to boiler pressure. .Since only one side of the valve 32 is subjected to boiler pressure, this pressure will cause the valve to reseat on the seat 3|a. Liquid entrapped in the space 36 above the piston 34 can bleed through a passageway 46 into the chamber 28 of the valve thereby iacilitating a closing of the auxiliary valve 32.

Since the pan22 will only tilt from its horizontal position when sufiicient liquid is in the pan tocover the mouth of the down pipe .42, the valve 26 is only open'to receive liquid from the pan. In this manner steam cannot be discharged through the valve 26. At the same time since the pan 22 is maintained at a level above the normal water level in the boiler reached only by foam or light water with adsorbed ingredients, relatively good boiler water cannot be discharged from the boiler;

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3; parts identical with the parts described in Figures 1 and 2 are identified by the same reference numerals.

As shown in Figure 3, the collecting pan 22a is smaller than the pan 22 but is tiltably mounted in the boiler to operate the pilot valve 31 in the same manner as the pan 22. I In this embodiment of the invention the discharge valve 25 is dispensed with and the pilot valve 31 seats against a valve seat 53 carried by a boss 5| secured through the boiler shell above the pan 22a. The down pipe 42 is threaded in the nipple 52 of the boss 5| while the end of a discharge pipe 53 is threaded in the boss above the valve seat 50.

The other end of the pipe 53 communicates with the inlet 54 of a blow-oil valve 55.

The valve 55 comprises a casing 56 having a seat 51 therein spaced. below the inlet 54. An outlet 58 is formed through the casing below the seat 57 and receives therein the end of the discharge pipe 45 which pipe, as shown in Figure 1, communicates with a steam separator. A valve seat 59 is spaced below the outlet 58. A second inlet 66 is provided through the casing below the valve seat 59. The inlet 60 receives the end of a pipe 6| which pipe may communicate with any portion of the interior of the boiler such as, for example, the bottom of the ymud ring.

A piston 62 is slidable in the upper portion of the casing 55 and is adapted to seat on the seat 51.

A ball member. such as a steel ball 63, is urged against the valve seat 59 by a coiled spring 64.

The piston 62 has a stem 65 extending through the seats 51 and 55 adapted to abut the ball 63 and unseat the same from its valve seat 59 when the piston 62 is seated on its seat 51!.

A bleeder passageway 66 is formed through the piston 62 and joins the inlet 54 with the outlet 58.

When the pan 220. receives suiiicient material therein to tilt the pan, the pilot valve 31 is opened to admit boiler pressure to the piston 62. The piston will be forced downwardly against the seat 5'! to unseat the ball 63, thereby opening the valve to blow down that portion of the boiler with which the pipe 6| communicates. The material in the panv 22a will be blown by the boiler pressure up through the down pipe 42 and through the pipe 53 into the valve 55 above the piston 62. The bleeder passageway 66 provides for the drainage of this material into the discharge pipe 45.

The valve 55 will remain open only as long as the pilot valve 31 is open and when the weight of material remaining in the pan 22a decreases below the amount necessary to tilt the'pan, the valve 31 will close. The spring 64 in the valve 55 will then reseat the ball 63 and unseat the piston 62 thus closing the valve.

In this embodiment of the invention, therefore, the tilting pan controls the operation of a remote blow-off valve that can communicate with any desired portion of the boiler interior to blow down that portion.

Since the foam control is mainly obtained by blow ,off through the valve 55, the pan 22a may be smaller than the pan 22 since it is used primarily as an actuating device for the valve 55 when foam and light water development in the boiler exceeds a predetermined level.

If desired, the pan actuated pilot valve can be used to supply steam only to the blow-off valve for opening the latter to blow. down the boiler.

In this modification the down-pipe iseliminated and a drain hole is provided in the bottom of the pan 22a, preferably at the front end thereof. When foam or light water spills into the pan faster than it can drain out of the hole, a sufficient weight of the liquid will soon be collected in the pan to cause the same to tilt thereby opening the pilot valve. When the pilot valve is open boiler pressure existing in the boiler will act on the piston of the blow-off valve 55 to open the valve and blow down the boiler,

The pilot valve will remain open only as long as the pan 22a is in tilted position.

When the light water or foam level in the boiler subsides to a level where it does not spill into the pan or where the rate of spilling into the pan is less than the rate of drainage from the pan through the hole, the weight of liquid in the pan will soon be decreased below that amount necessary to hold the pan in tilted position. As soon as such conditions are reached, the counterweight 24 will move the pan back to horizontal position to close the pilot valve. The piston of the blowolf valve will then not be subjected to boiler pressure and the valve will close to terminate the blow off.

From the above descriptions it should be understood that the apparatus of this invention provides for the collection or segregation of light water and foam in the boiler and the periodic blowing off of the collected material and/or, if desired, other material in the boiler without discharge of steam therewith and Without discharge of relatively good boiler water.

If it is desired to blow down the mud ring of the boiler simultaneously with the emptying of the pan 22, the valve 26 may be replaced with a double acting valve including a second piston operated auxiliary valve mounted above the piston 34 and adapted to seat on a second auxiliary valve seat. This valve can communicate through a pipe line with the lower portion of the boiler. Then when the space between the pistons is subjected to boiler pressure, both pistons will slide in the cylinder to open their respective auxiliary valves.

It should be understood that valves located wholly within the boiler can be substituted for the constructions shown.

Normal water level used herein, is that level normally maintained within the visible portion of the conventional water glass of a steam boiler.

We are aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. Apparatus for controlling foaming in operating steam boilers which comprises a collecting pan vertically movable in the upper portion of a steam boiler above the normal water level in the boiler, a discharge valve mounted on top of the boiler above the collecting pan, a down pipe extending from the discharge valve into spaced relation from the bottom of the collecting pan, a counterbalance connected with the collecting pan to hold the same in position in the boiler until a sufficient amount of liquid has been collected in the pan to nearly fill the same and valve operating means secured to the pan and extending through the down pipe adapted to effect an opening of the valve when the pan moves downwardly in the boiler whereupon light water or foam collected 'in thepan will be blown up through down pipe and out of the boiler.

2. In apparatus for automatically removing the material from an operating steam boiler including a collecting means in the upper portion of the boiler having an inlet above the normal water level in the boiler but below the steam outlet of the boiler, the improvements which com prise said collecting means being mounted in the boiler for downward movement when a predetermined weight of liquids from the boiler is col lected therein, means for returning the collecting means to initial position when, relieved of said predetermined weight, and valve means actuated by the movement of the collecting means to effect and stop a blowing down of the boiler.

3. In apparatus for automatically removing material from an operating steam boiler including a collecting means in the upper portion of the boiler having an inlet above the normal water level in the boiler but below the steam outletlof the boiler, the improvement which comprises said collecting means being mounted in the boiler for downward movement when a predetermined weight of liquids from the boiler is collected therein, means for returning the collecting means to initial position when relieved of said predetermined weight, a pilot valve actuated by movement of the collecting means and arranged to respectively open and close upon downward and return movement of the collecting means, and a blow-off valve communicating with the pilot'valve and adapted to be opened by boiler pressure when the pilot valve is open for blowing down the boiler.

4. The process of removing foam forming and foam stabilizing ingredients from operating steam boilers which comprises collecting, in the upper portion of the boiler above the normal water level therein, only the foam and light water formed in excess of a predetermined level during operation of the boiler and periodically discharging the collected material from the boiler whenever a predetermined weight of the material has been collected. I i

5. The method of controlling foaming in operating steam boilers which comprises collecting foam and light water above the normal water level in the boiler, accumulating a predetermined weight of the collected material and utilizing boiler pressure to discharge the collected material from the boiler whenever the amount collected exceeds the predetermined weight.

6. The method of controlling foaming in operating steam boilers which comprises collecting foam and light water above the normal water level in the boiler, accumulating a predetermined weight of the collected material and utilizing boiler pressure to discharge the collected material and sludgewater from the boiler whenever the amount collected exceeds the predetermined weight.

'7. The method of controlling foaming in operating steam boilers which comprises collecting foam and light water above the normal water level in the boiler, accumulating a predetermined weight of the collected material and utilizing boiler pressure to discharge sludge water from the boiler whenever the amount collected exceeds the predetermined weight.

8. Apparatus for controlling foaming in operating steam boilers which comprises: a collector movably mounted in the upper portion of the boiler above thenormal waterlevel in the boiler but having an inlet adapted ,to receive light water or foamdeveloped in the boiler above a predetermined level during the operation of the boiler, said collector arranged to move downwardly in the boiler when receiving a predetermined'weight of light water or foam therein and also arranged to return to its normal position when relieved of said predetermined weight, a valve, a pipe extending from the valve into the collector and having an inlet mouth arranged to receive light water and foam from'the collector, and a valve operating means secured to the collector arranged to move the valve to open position whenever the collector receives sufficient lightwater or foam therein above said mouth of the pipe to cause the collector to move downwardly in the boiler, and arranged to move the valve to closed position as the liquid level in the collector approaches said mouth of the pipe whereupon light water and foam willbe discharged from the collector only when the mouth of the pipe is submerged.

9. Apparatus forcontrolling foaming in operating steam boilers which comprises a collector pivotallymounted in the upper portion of the boiler having an inlet above the normal water level in the boiler but in communication with light water or foam developed in excess of a predetermined level during operation of the boiler, said collector arranged to tilt downwardly in the boiler when receiving a predetermined weight of light water or foam and also arranged to return to its normal position when relieved of said predetermined weight, a valve mounted above the collector, a downpipe extending from the valve into the collector and having an inlet mouth beneath the inlet level of the collector for receiving light water and foam from the collector, and valve operating .means secured to the collector arranged to move the valve to open position whenever the collector is tilted downwardly and also arranged to move the valve to closed position whenever the collector is in its normal position whereupon collected foam and light water will be discharged up through the downpipe and out of the boiler.

10. Apparatus for controlling foaming in 015- and a valve operating, means so secured to the pan. that the valve is opened when the pan receives'a sufiicient weight of light water or foam therein to tilt the same about its pivot point whereupon liquid collected in the pan will be blown by the boiler pressure up through the downpipe and out of the boiler.

11. Apparatus for controlling foaming in operating steam boilerswhich comprises an open topped pan having an arm extending therefrom, a counterweight on the end of said arm, means so pivoting the arm in the upper portion of the boiler that the pan be normally maintained in horizontal position with the upper edges thereof below the steam outlet and will be tilted downwardly by presence of a predetermined weight of liquid therein, a valve housing mounted on top of the boiler, a downpipe extending from the valve housing into spaced relation from the bottom of the pan, a piston operated auxiliary valve in said valve housing, a pilot valve so cooperating with the piston operated auxiliary valve as to periodically vent the piston to boiler pressure and control the operation of the auxiliary valve, and a rod secured to the pan carrying the pilot valve whereupon a tilting of thepan will unseat the pilot valve to vent the piston to boiler pressure and thus open the auxiliary valve, and liquid collected in the pan will thereupon be blown by the boiler pressure up through the downpipe and out of the boiler. I l I 12. In apparatus for controlling foaming in operating steam boilers including means defining a discharge port for the boiler, a blow-off valve remote from said discharge port communicating with the interior of the boiler, a pipe line con-v necting said discharge port with the blow-off valve, and pressure responsive means in the blowoff valve, the improvements which comprise a pan tiltably mounted in the upper portion of the boiler and having the top edges thereof above the normal water level in the boiler but below the steam outlet whereby foam and light water developed in excess during the operation of the boiler can spill into the pan to tilt the pan, a counterbalance for returning the pan to initial position upon discharge of foam and light water therefrom, and a pilot valve connected to said pan for opening and closing the discharge port'of the boiler, said pilot valve arranged to move away from said discharge port to open the port when the pan is tilted, whereupon a tilting of the pan to open the pilot valve will vent boiler pressure to said pipe line to act on the pressure responsive means in the blow-off valve and open the valve to blow down the boiler.

LEWIS O. GUNDERSON. OLAND W. CARRICK. 

